Man Uses Unborn Baby as Human Shield; Police Fatally Shoot Mother

A pregnant woman whose baby’s father used her as a human shield during a shootout with police in Gifford, Florida, was shot and killed during the melee.

Sheriff’s officers raided the home of Andrew Coffee IV and his father, Andrew Coffee III, on March 19. The Indian River Sheriff’s Office labeled the Coffee home, located in Gifford, a town just south of Orlando, Florida, a “known drug house.”

Officials said that the elder Coffee had unknowingly walked out of the house right into the hands of police, who were preparing for the raid, but the suspect’s son was still inside the house and was forewarned of the SWAT raid in the making, CBS 12 reported.

Subsequently, Andrew Coffee IV grabbed his four-month pregnant girlfriend, 21-year-old Alteria Woods, and tried to use her as a human shield as he opened fire on police. The officers returned fire, killing Woods. Coffee IV was then taken into custody.

“Andrew Coffee IV was cowardly using (Woods) as protection,” Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said. “Our thoughts and prayers go to her family.”